This archive report was first published on 10 December 2019.
On December 10, 2019, Finland made history by appointing Sanna Marin, 34, as its youngest ever prime minister. Marin, who is currently the Transport Minister for the country's Social Democrats, will lead a five-party coalition government.
Marin's appointment comes after the resignation of Antti Rinne, who stepped down earlier in the week following a loss of confidence from the Centre Party. The Centre Party had expressed dissatisfaction with Rinne's handling of a postal strike.
Marin's rise to power has been swift, having become the head of the city council of her hometown of Tampere at the age of 27. She will now take over as prime minister in the middle of a 3-day wave of strikes that will halt production at some of Finland's largest companies.
Finland's new prime minister will face a challenging task, as the country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union until the end of the year. Marin has expressed her commitment to rebuilding trust and has stated that the coalition will continue with its programme.
Marin's appointment has made her the world's youngest leader, with North Korean despot Kim Jong-un being the only other world leader younger than her.
"We have a lot of work ahead to rebuild trust," Marin told reporters after winning a narrow vote among the party leadership.
Marin's leadership will be closely watched, as she navigates the challenges of leading a coalition government and representing Finland on the international stage.
